Method and system for local Peer-to-Peer traffic

1. A method for peer-to-peer communication in an aggregation network, said aggregation network having a plurality of end user devices, said end user devices being capable of acting as a source device or a target device, wherein each end user device is connected to said aggregation network through one of a plurality of access nodes, and a gateway provides for communication outside of the aggregation network, said method comprising the steps of: implementing a Downstream Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) proxy and a respective ARP Cache in each of the access nodes, said ARP Cache storing an <Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address> pair for each end user device in the aggregation network, and storing a <source device, target device> pair for each pair of end user devices for which peer-to-peer communications are allowed; intercepting by the Downstream ARP proxy in one of the access nodes, a Downstream ARP request from a source device for a target end user device; determining by the Downstream ARP proxy, whether an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the ARP Cache; when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the ARP Cache, determining whether a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is stored in the ARP Cache; sending by the Downstream ARP proxy, an ARP reply to the source device only when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device and a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device are stored in the ARP Cache, said ARP reply including the MAC address of the target device; and when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is not stored in the ARP Cache, sending no reply by the Downstream ARP proxy.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein upon determining that an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the ARP Cache, but a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is not stored in the ARP Cache, the step of sending the ARP reply to the source device includes: sending by the Downstream ARP proxy, a different ARP reply to the source device containing the MAC address of the aggregation network gateway.

3. A method for peer-to-peer communication in an aggregation network, said aggregation network having a plurality of end user devices, said end user devices being capable of acting as a source device or a target device, wherein each end user device is connected to said aggregation network through one of a plurality of access nodes, and a gateway provides for communication outside of the aggregation network, said method comprising the steps of: implementing an Upstream Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) proxy, a Downstream ARP proxy, and an ARP Cache in each access node, said ARP Cache storing an <Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address> pair for each end user device in the aggregation network, and storing a <source device, target device> pair for each pair of end user devices for which peer-to-peer communications are allowed; intercepting by the Upstream ARP proxy in a first access node, an ARP request from a source device requesting the Media Access Control (MAC) address of a target device; determining by the Upstream ARP proxy whether peer-to-peer communication is allowed for the source device by determining whether a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is stored in the Upstream ARP proxy's ARP Cache; if so, forwarding by the Upstream ARP proxy, the ARP request upstream onto the aggregation network; intercepting the ARP request by all of the Downstream ARP proxies in the access nodes of the same IP-subnet; determining by the Downstream ARP proxy in the access node serving the target device, whether an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the access node's ARP Cache, and whether a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is stored in the Downstream ARP proxy's ARP Cache; sending by the Downstream ARP proxy, an ARP reply to the source device only when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target device and a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device are stored in the Downstream ARP proxy's ARP Cache, said ARP reply including the MAC address of the target device; and when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is not stored in the ARP Cache, sending no reply by the Downstream ARP proxy.

4. A system for peer-to-peer communication in an aggregation network, said aggregation network having a plurality of end user devices, said end user devices being capable of acting as a source device or a target device, wherein each end user device is connected to said aggregation network through one of a plurality of access nodes, and a gateway provides for communication outside of the aggregation network, said system comprising: an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) Cache in each of the access nodes, said ARP Cache storing <Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address> pairs for end user devices in the aggregation network, and storing a <source device, target device> pair for each pair of end user devices for which peer-to-peer communications are allowed; a Downstream ARP proxy in each of the access nodes, said Downstream ARP proxy being controlled by a processor executing computer program instructions, wherein the processor causes the Downstream ARP proxy to: intercept a Downstream ARP request from a source device for a target end user device; determine whether an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the ARP Cache; determine whether a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is stored in the ARP Cache; send an ARP reply to the source device only when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device and a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device are stored in the ARP Cache, said ARP reply including a MAC address of the target device; and responsive to a determination that an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is not stored in the ARP Cache, send no reply by the Downstream ARP proxy.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the Downstream ARP proxy is configured to send the ARP reply to the source device by sending a different ARP reply to the source device containing the MAC address of the aggregation network gateway in response to a determination that an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the ARP Cache, but a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is not stored in the ARP Cache.

6. A system for peer-to-peer communication between end user devices within an aggregation network, said system providing peer-to-peer communication without requiring traffic to pass through a network gateway, wherein end user devices connect through access nodes to the aggregation network, said system comprising: an Upstream Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) proxy, a Downstream ARP proxy, and an ARP Cache in each access node, said ARP Cache storing an <Internet Protocol (IP) address, Media Access Control (MAC) address> pair for each end user device in the aggregation network, and storing a <source device, target device> pair for each pair of end user devices for which peer-to-peer communications are allowed; wherein each Upstream ARP proxy is controlled by a processor executing computer program instructions, wherein the processor causes the Upstream ARP proxy to: receive an Upstream ARP request from a source end user device requesting the MAC address of a target device; determine whether peer-to-peer communication is allowed for the source device by determining whether a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is stored in the Upstream ARP proxy's ARP Cache; and forward the request upstream only if peer-to-peer communications are allowed with the source device; wherein each Downstream ARP proxy is controlled by a processor executing computer program instructions, wherein the processor causes the Downstream ARP proxy to intercept a Downstream ARP request for a target device; and wherein the Downstream ARP proxy in the access node serving the target device is configured to: determine whether an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target end user device is stored in the access node's ARP Cache, and whether a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device is stored in the Downstream ARP proxy's ARP Cache; and send an ARP reply to the source device only when an <IP address, MAC address> pair for the target device and a <source device, target device> pair for the source device and the target device are stored in the Downstream ARP proxy's ARP Cache, said ARP reply including the MAC address of the target device.